To help thousands of residents throughout eight Northeast Ohio counties enjoy a healthy holiday meal this season, Citizens Bank has donated $10,000 to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank as part of its Carving Out Hunger program. The contribution will provide 520 Thanksgiving turkeys and other food – or an estimated 6,930 meals – to local families in need.
“Citizens Bank is proud to partner with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank for the 11th year of our Carving Out Hunger program,” said Joe DiRocco, President of Citizens Bank, Ohio. “We recognize the importance of working to end hunger all year long – but no one should be hungry during the holidays.”
The demand for food has continued to increase in communities the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank serves, where nearly one in seven people are struggling with hunger. Last year it distributed 26 million pounds of food, providing 22 million meals locally for people in need.
“We’re grateful to be awarded this grant from Citizens Bank Carving Out Hunger Program,” said Dan Flowers, president & CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. “Citizens Bank has a long-standing commitment of helping our neighbors struggling with hunger, and with this contribution the Foodbank will be able to make the holidays brighter by providing protein-rich turkeys to families who need it most.”
Weighing a total of 4 tons, the turkeys will provide much needed meals that will be distributed through the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s more than 500 member agency programs.
On November 10 at 10 a.m., Citizens Bank volunteers will repack donated food and load trucks and vans for Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank member agencies. The distribution will take place at the Foodbank, 350 Opportunity Parkway. Dan Flowers, president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and representatives of the Foodbank member agencies will be available for media interviews.
This contribution is part of a $100,000 commitment to food banks across Ohio this year through the Citizens Bank Carving Out Hunger program. Citizens Bank, formerly Charter One, has donated more than $1 million in the past 11 years for holiday food programs across Ohio, including the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank, Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.